Much has been made about the brand of beer that will be served in today's event, also known as the great photo-op. PYY has been working to identify that brand. But as we all know, it's not always as easy as it sounds.
Sometimes, to find out what something is, we have to find out what it's not. So that's what we have done:
Oops...
Looks like someone just lost their right to carry the High Life.
Sounds like a great title for a movie, starring Bruce Willis. Right? Well, it's more like an appropriate adjective for this current government.
Here, a fine specimen of recklessness, John Conyers shows why he is a typical bottom feeding politician from Detroit (which is comparable to one from Chicago):
Earth to Conyers:
Why bother to read it? Then, why bother to write it? Why bother to vote on it? What if it contained language that eliminated your district and put you out of a job. But you wouldn't know that unless you read the bill, would you?
I doubt he is reading this, so let's consider something else, shall we?
Not only are these snake oil peddlers arrogant in their assertions, they are hypocritical as well. Take a moment and listen to this interview of Obama, from 2004:
Another instance of it only counts, when I say it counts.
Look, these people are tromping on the people and counting us as ignorant peasants, who have no say in what they do. Most of them are quite content to posture for the cameras, attend meetings, and look important. They do not care about the lasting impact their votes have, on the people they represent. If they did, they would take the time to weigh every action they take, carefully and deliberately.
It's apparent that he can't keep his mouth shut. He is like herpes, he is the gift that keeps on giving.
This time, he irritates Russia further than they already are.
I don't care much about Russia or what they think, mind you. But once again, Biden has managed to communicate a different message than his boss, and his boss wasn't really too well received the last time he was there.
The link is to an essay you may have missed on the subject. As many well know, this was a defining moment in Obama's presidency. His policies are his policies and they are bad enough, but this event gave us a good look at the underlying (but not latent) attitude of our President and how he views justice. He merely validated what many have been thinking and saying, all along.
There is a general attitude of entitlement which some have adopted now that Obama is in the White House. It is their belief that they can conduct themselves anyway they wish and use race as a justification. But that's not enough, nor is it a new thing under the sun.
Nothing is more insulting to my intelligence, than to have a race baiting bigot try to turn this into a "teachable moment". I have no need to be taught by such an arrogant individual and categorically reject any any attempt to do so. I have never based an opinion on anyone because of the color of his/her skin. My opinions are formed as a result of their behavior, which is indicative of their motives and intentions. Skin color is not a factor, character is.
Think this story is not important? Just look at the traffic that was generated from a link by CNN at AC's place over the weekend. There are some whack jobs there. But overall, the CNN readers that made the trek over were not happy. (Good job there, AC.)
Speaking Of Arrogance....
Here is a piece you won't want to miss. If the teleprompter told the truth, what do you think it would be saying during an Obama speech? Take a look at it, when you get a second. It's hilarious.
Think people in Connecticut aren't getting fed up with Christopher Dodd? He's not doing well in the polls, for sure.
The reason?
Just get a load of the linked story. Old news, yes. But it is pinning him into a corner, where he deserves to be. Keep denying Chris, the people are sending you back into the private sector next year. See you around.
All I can say is, neither one of them know jack about racing. They must be bored with their jobs.
It wasn't the fault of the IMS and Goodyear seems to have things corrected. So lighten up folks.
There have been critics of the race from the start, because the width of the track prevents a lot of passing. As if there is a lot in NASCAR, anyway.
Who knows? Maybe this is the case with these two wannabe racing writers. But, this race generates too much money to just be ready to punt after one bad year out of fifteen.
We'll see what they have to say afterward.
Stay Tuned.
UPDATE:
I guess everything was to these two malcontents' (Wetzel and Fryer) liking. (Click on their names if you want to read their post-race write ups.)
They didn't retract anything they said in the previous columns. They mostly just reported on the race, which is probably closer to their job description anyway. They should leave the racing commentary to the pros, and those who have a feel for the sport.
One other gripe I have about the local media's coverage of the race:
This is not the Tony Stewart 400.
I know he is from Indiana. So is Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon grew up here also. But Tony Stewart is not NASCAR. And anyone that would idolize a crybaby who pouts after things do not go his way, needs to have a psychological mental status exam.
Two years ago, I copped some free tickets to NASCAR's second most prestigious race, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, right here in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the greatest spectacle in racing. Mrs. Sunsett's friend won them and offered to give them to us. She graciously and thankfully accepted them, then told me I was going with her. She also informed me that I was going to have a good time.
And believe it or not, I actually did.
A couple of months back, I happened along a fundraising raffle, organized and put on by a nun. Looking at the prizes that were available to the winners of the drawings, I saw some nice things worth a shot or two. There was a big screen TV that made me immediately think about my friend Mustang.
On my trip to Florida last November, he did everything he could to get me to buy one for him. Naturally I thought if I could just win it, it would give me no greater pleasure than to give to him. But sadly, it was not to be.
Other prizes included Colts tickets, a Colts jacket, and even a toaster oven. What the heck, I thought. What's the worst thing on the table, I asked myself? Almost anything free is nice, right?
Our toaster oven is getting old and Mrs. Sunsett would just love a new toaster oven. So when I was informed that I was a winner, I felt sure that no one else would want it and was ready to pick it up as soon as the Sister and I could arrange a moment to pick it up.
The gifts were doled out on a first come, first served basis and unfortunately our schedules didn't mix well for a couple of days. We finally arranged a meeting and much to my surprise, the toaster oven was gone.
What was I able to choose from?
Dinner for two at an overrated and overpriced local restaurant, a free night at a local hotel, or two tickets to the Brickyard race. Naturally, the thoughts were turned to analysis, conjecture, and prediction. The objective was to determine (that out of the remaining gifts), which one would the most practical and the one that she would want most?
Practicality stated plainly that staying in a hotel, in the town you live in, is a waste of time and money (especially when you have dogs). Eating out at a restaurant that is not as good as the name sounds had no appeal to it either.
Needless to say, we are going to the race again for the second time, courtesy of some benevolent benefactors who want to further the damage to my hearing. Not that artillery fire and rock concerts didn't do the job, mind you. We now must allow NASCAR to finish the job.
So this week's music post is centered on my expected experience that will begin at 2:00 PM-EDT tomorrow, and carried live on ESPN in HD. And what better way to kick this off than with Tim Wilson's NASCAR Song:
Next up we have a little parody song, sung to the tune of a Toby Keith song. I am not a big country fan, but if you are you may recognize the melody:
I don't know who does this one, but someone may like it and it goes with the theme of the post:
Finally a little keyboard techno racing tune known as the FOX Starting Grid Theme Song. It's a little catchy, but nothing to write home about. It's just something fill the last spot in this week's musical presentation:
Enjoy (and if you watch the race, I'll be waving to you).
Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible. At least natural health food expert Euell Gibbons said so, before he dropped dead at age 64.
Well, have you ever wondered if China has an equivalent to our own Andy Rooney? I used to lay awake late at night wondering about that kind of thing. But after many unresolved issues that have caused great anxiety and apprehension, I can sleep better because I have found him:
General Motors posted Wednesday a 22 percent global sales drop from a year earlier for the first six months of 2009 amid the economic slowdown and the automaker's slide into bankruptcy.
GM said its global first-half sales, which include brands the automaker is trimming from its lineup, fell 21.8 percent to 3.55 million vehicles. The automaker's sales in the second quarter fell 15.4 percent to 1.94 million vehicles.
There's that consumer confidence thing again. Funny how it always seems to show up at a time you least expect it and in a way you don't really want it to.
Get ready, because the people who will answer for this are going to demonize the consumer for not having pride in one's country. They are going to turn to Rush Limbaugh and blame him for Americans secretly wishing for America to fail, so that it looks bad on Obama.
The real truth is quite different.
People know how ineffective and incompetent the government is and they cannot be sure that GM will be around forever. If they do continue to exist, it will be GM run like the VA. When people buy cars, they must assured they will be able to get service. Plainly, it looks like they are not sure about GM.
Recently, this author participated in a discussion on another blog about the issue of government run healthcare, as it is currently being proposed. One of the semi-regulars of that blog made a statement which I would like to look at a little closer.
During the course of the discussion I asked some questions, which the commenter declined to answer. And that's okay. This is not the center of my contention, as he is fully within his rights to keep silent on whatever subject he wishes. It was unclear why he likes to ask his questions and then refuses to answer those directed toward him. But it is his right, nonetheless.
The statement he made is one of several that liberals tend to use when seeking to justify why they support a corrupt and incompetent government's desire to control healthcare. The comment I am referring to reads as follows:
...as a disabled veteran, I get all my health care through the VA. So I'm biased when it comes to a government-run health care system.
I have no way of knowing exactly what the gentleman was implying here, but I know how it comes across. I also know there are many who use the same kind of language to draw a parallel between VA benefits and what Congress wants to create for the American people. In one respect they are right and in the other, they couldn't be further from the truth.
Let's look at this a little closer, shall we?
For one thing, liberals often are confused about veterans benefits. They are earned. They are not welfare. They are not in any way a handout. Whoever earned them, whether it's the retiree or the vet injured in the line of duty, deserves them and has a right to them --- so as long as the government provides them.
Most retirees I know can choose to seek medical care at VA hospitals and clinics (if they are disabled at the time of discharge), active duty bases (after active duty personnel and their dependents have received care), and/or use their Tricare insurance for treatment in the private sector. Almost every last military retiree I have ever known (in modern times) has chosen to use their Tricare, in the private sector.
Last week, 20-year-old Colton Read, who grew up in Arlington and who's now in the U. S. Air Force, went to have laparoscopic surgery to remove his gall-bladder at David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base near Sacramento.
His mother, Shelly Read-Miller says he wasn't worried. "He said 'Mom, this is routine, it's no big deal.'"
But what happened during surgery turned out to be a very big deal.
You can read the rest of the story, if you wish.
The important thing to note is that things like this happen more times than people think. The military is a breeding ground for doctors paying the government back for their schooling, it is their form of residency. They practice, they learn, and sometimes it comes by trial and error (with error being the operative word). They are human, they do not necessarily act with malice. But in the end, the outcome may not be the desired one of choice.
Older doctors (who are higher in rank than the residents) are not always the prime choice of the private sector, so many stay in the military for the malpractice protection. Military personnel cannot choose a doctor. If they present for care and the base happens to have a doctor in the area of specialty that is required, there is no chance to be referred off base or on another one.
Then, there's this little problem with the VA. As I said earlier, this involves a choice. To choose or not to choose VA depends on a lot of things. Every case stands on its own, by itself. There are never two cases, exactly alike.
Personally, I am not able to comprehend the reasoning for choosing care at the VA, over the private sector using Tricare. For many, it's the only choice they can afford. I understand that.
Many are jobless, or making low wages. Some have mental health or addiction issues and are not able to work. I understand why they are there. But I do fail to see how the VA can possibly deliver better care than the private sector, especially when I read stories like this.
A congressional panel is pressing the Department of Veterans Affairs to disclose on Tuesday whether non-sterile equipment that may have exposed 10,000 veterans to HIV and other infections was isolated to three Southeast hospitals or is part of a wider problem.
I was a patient in a VA Hospital many years ago. I had lost a job from layoffs and had no health insurance, so my choices were limited when I got sick. With a mass in my neck that appeared in the span of about 3-4 days, I took my DD214, drove into the local VA's ER, and presented myself for treatment. I waited a long time to see an ENT resident from the IU School of Medicine. To make a long story short, I ended up needing surgery. Three months later, they removed the mass which was not malignant, but was a bit disfiguring.
When I left, I picked up a prescription for some pain pills and signed my name. Care wasn't quite up to standard, but I couldn't complain because my choices were limited. One example, no one (and I mean no one) including the house nursing supervisor could get an IV in me. I was a young twentysomething man, with garden hoses for veins and they all took turns sticking me multiple times. It was a doctor that finally got one in after they blew no less than five choice veins.
I said all of that to say this, VA is not great care. It wasn't then, but it is especially true today. The people who staff it are not the cream of the crop, the buildings and equipment are sub-par. The system is overloaded with disabled vets from the two wars. How can it be a model for anything?
So how does that play into the healthcare debate?
Simple.
Just let government take over and the outcome will be services like are provided to veterans. This is precisely why the vast majority of vets that I know, stay in the private sector. Tricare goes anywhere the member wants to use it. Healthcare providers who are in competition with each other, tend to do better jobs. Not that there aren't problems and not that there aren't incidents of private sector negligence and malpractice, but overall outcomes are much better than the horror stories we have looked at here today.
During the course of this process ask your House Representative and Senators, something. Are they are going to sign on to this for their healthcare coverage or will they keep the cushy plan they already have? If they opt to keep what they have, they are retaining the choices for themselves and doling out garbage to the people.
I don't know about you, but this sounds an awful lot like the landed nobles and peasantry divide, in medieval feudalism.
More people are waking up to the reality that Obama has been playing the people, for fools. They are starting to realize that his policies are not rooted in sound judgment and are not at all effective, when implemented. But being the lawyers and overall depraved liars they are, they will not say so. In fact, they will use much double-talk/speak to confuse and befuddle the dumb masses.
Sometimes, there needs to be some clarity. There needs to be plain talk that most people can understand. No legalese, no BS, just give them something cogent and speak the truth. Do this and people will eventually see through the facade that has become the Obama Administration and Democratically-led Congress. Because both are synonymous with ineptness while intoxicated with temporal earthly power, and those kinds of leaders will not listen.
Here is something so easy to understand, so simple to articulate. Let's count some pennies:
The more we learn, the more we know. The more we know, the more we must ask whether we will continue to tolerate the current course this government is taking. Poll after poll shows Congress being in the sewer. Obama's job performance ratings are trending down, as well. It won't be long when they may intersect.
The goal should be to keep pressure on Blue Dog Democrats to reject support for the healthcare overhaul that threatens to destroy the industry as we know it. It's the one thing that is certain to sink the economy through an enormous debt (unheard of in the history of the American nation).
Time to stop thinking, time to start letter writing. Let them all know that 2010 is around the corner. If enough people can get through to them, some of them may get the idea and exercise some sense (if they wish to stay in office). People are not happy and need to communicate this with their elected officials. And if they fail, more people will feel justified in voting them out.
I am not sure who to credit for this little quote, no one seems to be taking credit for it on the internet. So if anyone knows, feel free to help me out here.
It's one that I think speaks volumes about seeing events as adverse on the surface, but in reality being necessary for the maintenance of life. There are many such things we can list, but there is one that can serve as a great analogy for all of the others:
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. -- Unknown
We need water to sustain out physical lives, our bodies are about 90% water. Rain brings us the water of life.
So the next time the rain spoils your fishing trip to the lake, just remember something. Without the rain, there would be no lake. Without the rain, there would be nothing but a vast desert expanse, incapable of sustaining the kinds of life we need to survive.
The next time a storm in life comes our way, remember that it brings us a vital resource we cannot live without. So if nothing else, let us all dance in our hearts and be glad.
This week we look at some one-hit wonders from the 70s. I have said before that I think this decade produced some of the best OHWs in the history of pop music. These selections are some that garnered some serious radio airplay back then. And then at the drop of a hat, they just faded away and became virtually unnoticed. So if you are a baby boomer, sit back and relax. See if you can remember these tunes.
The first one is from 1971. It is a smooth but cynical expression of underlying motives and intents:
In the course of musical history, there have been some songs that really didn't need to make a lot of sense or cast a deep message along the way. This is one and it comes from 1972:
I heard this twice this week on the Track 107.9. It's a sign --- from all they way back in 1975:
Back this one up to 1970. This is a cute little ragtime tune that reminds me of Saturday nights at Shakey's Pizza -- as a kid with nothing better to do with his parents:
Not everyone thinks Steven Wright is funny, but it's safe to assume that I do. His jokes aren't extremely deep, his one-liners are often laced with irony. And in my opinion, irony usually makes for good comedy.
Here is a short clip from one of the Comic Reliefs:
The talk of the week has been the confirmation hearings of Sonia Sotomayor. But when we consider that the Democrats have way more votes needed to seat her on the bench, it seems like an incredible waste of time and taxpayer money to keep up this charade.
Between her failure to recognize the purpose of the judiciary and her lack of knowledge of the law, I think she is questionable at best. But when you consider that she is a member of the radical group La Raza (HT: AOW) in addition to her lack of qualities, I think it becomes an even worse choice.
La Raza, you may recall, is the group that wants to take back parts of the US that were lost by Mexico after the Mexican War. Here a the map (also courtesy of AOW) that shows the areas they consider Mexican territory.
Is Judge Sonia Sotomayor a product of grinding poverty and beneficiary of affirmative action, and now a victim of its unintended consequences? Or has she instead cynically embraced affirmative action and romanticized her past as a way to further her judicial career?
As the confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee continues for Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's pick for the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, with a lifetime appointment at stake, a review of the evidence shows she has changed her position on affirmative action and fictionalized her past to serve her own purposes.
It is a better focused image, one that is created solely by fluff mastering. It shows us a more in depth picture of the character (or lack thereof), and it shows an Administration that has relied on PR for the bulk of its successes. This is the kind of thing Hollywood likes to generate, the same kind of the thing the USSR used to communicate to the people under their control.
First, she was never in the target audience affirmative action was designed to help. Second, while in school she vehemently disavowed affirmative action as playing any part in her educational advancement. Third, as her career played out on an increasingly public stage, she rebranded herself as "a perfect affirmative action baby" and an ardent supporter of racial quotas willing to engage in activist judging—and even ethically questionable judging—to advance that agenda.
This is the kind of thing that dreams are made of, right? But as we all read on, the article paints a different picture:
A closer look at her background tells another story, however. She was born in the United States. The projects in which she was raised, the Washington Post reported, were "pristine," virtually crime-free, and racially mixed. A mere 10 percent of the residents were on welfare. The rest had jobs. Sotomayor's mother was a nurse.
"These were not the projects of idle, stinky elevators, of gang-controlled stairwells where drug deals go down.… Far from dangerous, the projects were viewed as nurturing," the New York Times wrote. "I never perceived myself as a poor child," Sotomayor said in an October 1999 housing authority publication, the Post reported.
The truth, whatever it may be, is once again elusive. Who knows what it is?
It seems like another fine instance of the old smoke and mirrors game for political expediency, if you ask me. But I think we should be asking ourselves another question, somewhere along the way. If the goal is to get a Hispanic woman on the bench, is this the best one we have? If so, it begins a whole new line of questions.
But then I would ask, who has the courage to ask them? Certainly not the rubber-stamp Democrats in Congress. We cannot depend on them to be vigilant, especially when the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee insists on rewriting history during the hearings:
That's what he said, but that's not what she said. Her exact words were:
"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."
A word here and a word there can really distort the true message and certainly alter the truth. And believe when when I say this, we all know that people who have been in government as long as Leahy are very likely to use words to distort, exaggerate, and fabricate. He does himself no favors when he engages in this kind of action and further cements himself a dishonest legacy.
But as I implied earlier, this is the kind of tactic the Left must resort to when they settle for someone as controversial as Sotomayor. If they really wanted a better candidate who happened to be Hispanic and female, maybe Christine Arguello would have been a better choice. I don't know much about her or her record. But surely she isn't as inept or radical as Ms. Sotomayor.
Maybe Sotomayor would be better suited as a TV judge, call it Judge Sonia. But then again, maybe not.
WARNING: Be sure that when you click into the link, you are sitting down. PYY is not responsible for any injuries you may incur if you view this while standing up. As always, it is not a good idea to view this if you have been drinking or are on certain prescription narcotics. Do not mix with sedatives or stimulants, to include double shots of espresso. Void where prohibited.
Sometimes when a politician uses progressive-speak, it is important to get the correct translation. This is important, so that the average citizen can cut through the BS and form a well thought out opinion. Otherwise the person may fall prey to the dreaded disease known as "group think".
Here is a brief clip from a Washington progressive by the name of Jim McDermott and the correct English translation:
Last week, I was listening to Neal Boortz on the radio and I heard him read a leeter that was written right after the election of Barack Obama. It was written by a Dr. Anne Wortham a sociology professor at Illinois State University. She also happens to be a visiting scholar at Stanford's Hoover Institute. She is a proponent of the teachings of Ayn Rand and it just so happens she is black.
It has been circulated on the net for some time now. But on the chance you haven't read it yet, here it is. Is she right?
___________________________
Part of the reason I think she is right can be determined from the next two stories.
First, there is this story about Obama claiming the stimulus is working.
President Barack Obama said his $787 billion stimulus bill “has worked as intended” as he pushed back against Republican criticism that his recovery program has failed to rescue the economy.
“It has already extended unemployment insurance and health insurance to those who have lost their jobs in this recession,” Obama, who is traveling today in Ghana, said in his weekly Saturday radio and Web address. “It has delivered $43 billion in tax relief to American working families and business.”
But is it really working?
Reading this article, one has to wonder where Obama's head is?
Unemployment among blacks in New York City has increased much faster than for whites, and the gap appears to be widening at an accelerating pace, new studies of jobless data have found.
While unemployment rose steadily for white New Yorkers from the first quarter of 2008 through the first three months of this year, the number of unemployed blacks in the city rose four times as fast, according to a report to be released on Monday by the city comptroller’s office. By the end of March, there were about 80,000 more unemployed blacks than whites, according to the report, even though there are roughly 1.5 million more whites than blacks here.
So Mr. Obama began a new effort on Monday to show that his stimulus plan was yielding concrete benefits, saying that his administration expects to save or create 600,000 more jobs this summer, as the federal government spends billions to expand care at health centers, spruce up national parks, hire teachers and improve military facilities.
At a meeting with Mr. Obama and the cabinet, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. outlined 10 major initiatives that he said would “build momentum and accelerate job growth” over the next 100 days. After Mr. Biden ticked off a list of programs — including water and waste projects in rural America and rehabilitation of 98 airports and 1,500 highways — the president took aim at his critics.
In the time period after WWII, there were several musicians and singers who helped facilitate the transition from the big band sound to rock and roll. These artists had qualities of both eras, fused and blended together so very well. I remember my parents listening to some of them when I was but a young boy.
One such singer had one of the smoothest voices I have ever heard, outside of Sinatra and Nat King Cole. He had a lengthy string of hits from the late 50s through the early 70s. Mustang remembers him well and will likely approve of this week's music. Today we honor the man who was born as Benjamin Franklin Peay and we now know as, Brook Benton.
First up is one that will give you a real appreciation of the depth of his vocal range. Whether you like this style or not, you must be prepared to admit the man can sing, especially after hearing this one:
In 1960, Benton teamed up with another extremely talented, transitional artist of this period, for a project that produced one of the better known songs of the era. Here, he sings a duet with the great Dinah Washington. Those of you who are old enough to remember this one will appreciate the chemistry these two had, singing together:
He followed up the next year with an outstanding ballad that told us the story of a pest, who was both feared and sorely misunderstood in his day. From a live TV performance in 1982, he sings that song with the same smoothness as when he first recorded it:
His last mega hit was probably one of the greatest songs I have ever heard. It was released in 1970 and for me, it defined an era and never fails to take me back to a part of my life that I still remember well and long for.
When this one was hot, I lived in a town called Macon. Located right in the heart of Georgia, it gave me first-hand knowledge of the theme of this tune. Anyone who has ever lived there knows well that he hard pounding summer rains are relentless. And while they are falling, it really does seem like they will last forever.
The line, "sometimes I feel like it's raining all over the world" still strikes deep in my sentiments and reminds me of a day when I really had no cares in the world, except which radio station I should be listening to on a rainy Saturday night:
After initially enjoying an almost 70% approval rate, the President has been seeing his numbers sink. Gallup now has him at 56%, still more than half of the respondents are happy with his performance, but he is losing ground fast.
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 32% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-seven percent (37%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of –5.
This gap is increasing almost weekly now. With every blunder, domestic or international, he is losing ground. Some people will be more hard to sell than others, but it will not be long before the most stubborn holdouts will have to admit they made one huge mistake last November.
It is important, for those of us who knew this guy was smoke and mirrors from the beginning, to understand something. We must welcome those who were duped back into the fold, without rubbing their noses in it. Remember the parable of the prodigal son? They have strayed for but a short while. But we must forgive them and reunite for the cause/fight that is ahead of us. We need them.
We know that any entity cannot survive, if it be divided against itself. Churches, corporate boards, and administrations of any kind cannot weather adversity if the players are not on the same sheet of music.
Take the President and Vice-President, for instance. It seems we have a discrepancy, in that, they are not able to communicate a united coherent policy on Israel and the possibly of them taking out Iran's nuclear program.
"We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination, if they make a determination, that they're existentially threatened," Biden said.
The US has "absolutely not" given Israel a green light for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, US President Barack Obama said Tuesday.
Obama was qualifying comments Vice President Joe Biden had made Sunday that left the impression the US would not stand in the way of an Israeli action.
"We have said directly to the Israelis that it is important to try and resolve this in an international setting in a way that does not create major conflict in the Middle East," said Obama, currently in Russia, during a CNN interview.
Obama said it was "very important that I'm as clear as I can be, and our administration is as consistent as we can [be] on this issue."
We can see how members of an entity can put forth an image of inconsistency and confusion. Imagine when it's the same person showing indecision and erratic statements.
Suspected U.S. missiles and Pakistani fighter jets attacked followers of a notorious militant leader close to the Afghan border Tuesday, but the army complained the American strikes were hurting its campaign against the country's public enemy No. 1.
Between 12 and 14 militants were killed when two missiles hit a training camp run by Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan tribal region, intelligence officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. The missiles were believed fired by American drones.
Now, let's be clear about this, I am not trying to complain about the killing of the enemy. I am complaining about inconsistency, I am only critical of consistency when it is the wrong thing.
Obama has spent some time overseas in Russia, where nothing really matters right now. From what I can gather from the visit, the Russians really didn't seem to care if he was there or not. There were no adoring crowds, the media wasn't fawning over him, and the leaders were not impressed.
The body language shown in the pics of Obama with both Russian leaders, Medvedev and Putin, shows who is in charge. The reason is simple. Obama is painting a vivid image of weakness. Meanwhile, he is being mocked openly by the Russian leadership.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised the hospitality and openness of U.S. former President George W. Bush in a telegramme sent hours before meeting his successor Barack Obama.
"During the last years we have been working on strengthening Russia-U.S. cooperation. Although there were differences between our countries, I always valued your openness and sincerity," Putin said, congratulating Bush on his 63rd birthday on July 6.
"With special warmth I recall your hospitality in the Crawford ranch and your family estate in Kennebunkport," Putin wrote, referring to their 2007 meeting at the Bush family vacation home when the two leaders went fishing and ate lobster.
Fron this simple act, I cannot see much respect for Obama from Putin. If there is any at all, it must be some ancient Russian custom. To front out the new American leadership by recognizing the old one is not a sign of respect, where I come from..
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's charge that he was mired in Cold War thinking, setting the scene for a stormy first meeting at a Moscow summit next week.
In a pre-trip interview, the U.S. leader told the Associated Press that Putin needed to "understand that the Cold War approach to U.S.-Russian relationship is outdated" and that Putin had "one foot in the old ways of doing business."
Putin -- who once described the collapse of the Soviet Union as "the greatest geo-political catastrophe of the century" -- hit back, saying Russians were standing firmly on both feet.
"We are standing firmly on both feet and always look to the future. That is the peculiarity of Russia. That has always allowed Russia to move forward and get stronger. That will continue," Putin was shown saying with a smile on state television.
So I think it's safe to conclude that the two top leaders are not on the same page with each other. The President is not even on the same page with himself. This leads us to ask ourselves a very important question. Is it really surprising this administration is the laughing stock of the international community and may very well tear down what it took two decades to build, in one trip?
Once again I have been too busy and too tired to think about a post. So as I usually do in these cases, I ride the coattails of my friend Mustang.
Here is a video that is a good demonstration of how government successfully pits certain citizens against one another. It is light-hearted but the message is clear.
Here is a powerful video which one of those people, who has fallen prey to the liberal victimologists, has taken offense to. Her objections and some responses to those objections are found in the comment section. Feel free to air your responses, if you wish.
When thinking of renaissance visionary prose, most people immediately think of Nostradamus. But just one generation before him there lived a quintessential political scientist, by the name of Niccolò Machiavelli. One of the more poignant passages he wrote was this:
Each candidate behaved well in the hope of being judged worthy of election. However, this system was disastrous when the city had become corrupt. For then it was not the most virtuous but the most powerful who stood for election, and the weak, even if virtuous, were too frightened to run for office.
How prophetic does this sound?
Today, the city that I see as corrupt is Washington. Just let a person like me try to run for President or any other office and see how much dirt they can dig up about my past. Granted, it's nothing that would result in criminal charges. But if it wasn't juicy enough, rest assured they'd make something up along the way. Just look at how they treat Sarah Palin.
Since there are no perfect people, it stands to reason there are no perfect candidates. So, if this is the case, why do we get stuck with the most morally depraved of all people, to lead us? I think Machiavelli has provided us with the answer.
Since Independence Day 2009 comes on a Saturday, I have decided to merge a holiday post and the weekly musical, Another Blast. Music is all well and good. But in the end, music is only a tool or a means to communicate an emotional appeal.
This is the one day when we "the people" can stop, reflect, and (hopefully) honor the birth of this great nation. But as reflection and honor goes, I am sure not all Americans really care about the importance of such a thing. To them, it may mean a big barbecue/party with fireworks or even worse, it may not mean anything at all.
As for the Sunsett household, we see it differently. Therefore, it is our profound hope that our activities of the day will be helpful to noble causes larger than ourselves, causes that will guarantee many more.
Loving one's country, despite deep reservations resulting from the direction the current leadership is taking, is important. Despite the fact I think this is the case this year, I still love my country and always will. That does not mean I cannot grieve for it. And at the same time, it does not preclude me from making what I feel are vital statements, in order to preserve it.
It is for this reason today that it is our plan to attend the local tea party. It is our hope that many others will do so anywhere and everywhere, possible. I believe the long term viability and prosperity of this nation will depend on the next few years and it is imperative, to help facilitate an awakening to the common sense principles this nation was founded on.
You cannot possibly communicate all of this in one song/video. But if it were possible, one of the integral tools I'd use could/would easily be this song:
Like I have said many times, I do not agree with the current course our government is taking. I see too many similarities with other failed courses we have seen taken in the past. The short period of time known as the Carter years is not alive in the minds of most people born after 1969, and no amount of persuasive speaking would have stopped this demographic from buying into the programs of the present company. I have said it before and I will say it again, every generation deserves a Jimmy Carter to wake them up to the consequences of unchecked and unbalanced liberalism., with weak foreign policy and horrendous domestic agendas that hurt the average citizen more than they help.
Once we woke up from our lethargy and saw fit to treat the malaise that has overtaken us, out self esteem began to reappear, almost instantly. It wouldn;t be easy, but we did undo much of the damage done by carter and his band of southern hilljacks, who masqueraded as intellectuals capable of leading a nation.
Today, we have nothing more than a Chicago gangster mentality running both the Congress and the White House. But if we look to the future, we can/will see that a greater hope lies beyond the false hopes communicated by this bunch, who are causing the present damage. Then we will once again be able to sing the words of this song, with joy and hope:
Enjoy the music and enjoy this day. And above all, please be careful, do not drive if you have been drinking.
ADDENDUM: For an outstanding Independence Day narrative, visit Leslie at Blunt Politics or Mustang at Social Sense. Both of them did an outstanding job, it is well worth the ten minutes or so it takes to watch it. (Do it now. Don't be the only one NOT to watch it or we will all laugh at you.)
With the media having such a narrow focus, you would think the only person who has died lately was Michael Jackson. He certainly upstaged Farrah Fawcett.
Other losses we incurred this past week were Karl Malden (also born in Gary Indiana) and the subject of today's funny, Fred Travalena.
He was known as Mr. Everybody because of his incredibly talented performances in impressions. Many may not know or remember him because at the peak of his career, Rich Little was the premier artist of that genre. But Mr. E was no less talented and no less funny.
Fred died earlier this week from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Here is one of his later performances, doing what he always did best:
I wasn't going to write a damned thing about Michael Jackson. But here I sit, watching the media and those who use it to advance their perverted agendas, exploiting a sad situation and making it sadder.
I was not a big fan of Jackson's music, nor did I approve of his questionable behavior with children toward the end of his life. His overall odd eccentricity was not enough to endear me to his causes, either. But I think there are some who have turned what was already a circus of epic proportions, into a self-serving event with no regard for anyone, but themselves.
If you are in need of a media whore or a race pimp, look no further than J&S Inc. for all your needs. Most people already know that when you think you have been wronged because you are black, give Al and Jesse a call. If they think they can get enough media coverage, you hit the jackpot.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton have converged on Michael Jackson's family since the King of Pop's sudden death last Thursday, acting as semi-official spokesmen and advisers.
Now the two preachers — who have spent decades jockeying for the unofficial title of America's leading black activist — appear to be auditioning for a role in Michael Jackson's final act: his funeral.
It remains unclear just what they are hoping to do for the clan in mourning as they offer their services to Michael Jackson's family, but both have been vying for a prominent position.
He's not the only one who wants to cash in on the Michael Jackson cash cow and media circus. The mayor of Gary Indiana (Michael's birthplace) let it out early what he wanted.
The mayor of Michael Jackson's childhood hometown says he'd like to see the pop singer buried in Gary, Ind. Mayor Rudy Clay tells The Associated Press that short of a burial, he hopes Jackson's body can at least lie in repose at City Hall.
Why?
The 73-year-old mayor says he also hopes the community of about 96,000 along Lake Michigan becomes a mecca for Jackson fans, similar to the way Elvis Presley fans flock to Graceland in Memphis, Tenn.
I don't know if you who read PYY can fully appreciate it, but Gary is the armpit of the earth. Violent crime is rampant, it is second in the nation in homicides per capita. Only New Orleans ranks higher. Who in the hell would want to visit a grave in a cesspool like that?
As shameless as this behavior has been, I find Jackson's death and the manner in which it occurred to be extremely unfortunate. But in the larger scope of things, I have to ask some things along the way.
What did this man do for mankind other than entertain us? Did he find a cure for some dreaded disease? Did he educate or inspire anyone to do great things? Did he die protecting others? Was he a hero in the true sense of the word? The answer to all of these questions is no. (Note-If you want to read about some real heroes who died with little fanfare, take a look at this post by Mustang.)
As an ardent music fan, I can appreciate Michael Jackson's contribution to the music world, despite the fact I was not a fan of his. But other than that, I cannot get overly emotional. I cannot feel anymore sadness than I would for any other human being. And believe me when I tell you, I have lived to see some very great men and women die.
These are men and women whose loss made an impact on personal lives. Some were people who made this world a better place, maybe in little increments -- but better nonetheless. They made sacrifices, many times they were unknown to their friends and neighbors. They were not interested in getting their pictures in the papers or hearing their voices in 10 second sound bites. They did the things they did, because they were the right things to do. They reeked of integrity.
Where was the media when these people died? Probably looking for someone to smear. Where were Al and Jesse when these people passed from this life? Probably out trying to generate a racist situation, where there was none to begin with. But one thing is for sure. They were all trying to look important, when they were not.
I am not sure who to credit for this little quote, no one seems to be taking credit for it on the internet. So if anyone knows, feel free to help me out here.
